Keywords:

Abstract:

As information technology expands, information has
become more readily available but the sources of this
information have become more diverse. Within the field
of fire research and engineering, it has become more
challenging to find critical information because
traditional sources of information have been augmented
by a variety of electronic sources. While looking for
specific information used to be a question of brute
force, i.e., check the library card catalog, with the
explosion in computer communication, information
retrieval has become an art form. Where does one look
for information? While there are no "best" resources,
the fire scientist or engineer must develop a
familiarity with a wide range of old and new methods for
acquiring information as well as staying abreast of
latest developments. Success in the new world order of
information science will go to the well informed user.
An overview of print and electronic resources are
described in this paper that can provide a starting
point for any information request.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is an agency of the U.S. Commerce Department.